Elizabeth Profit, who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was two-years-old, has stayed in great shape while training for tennis. Photo by Jason Lewis

Tequan Neal looks as fit as any football or basketball player. He has done it while it while training at the Venus and Serena Williams Tennis Academy. Photo by Jason Lewis

Youth Tennis Days promotes a healthy lifestyle of youngsters.

By Jason Lewis

Sentinel Sports Editor

jasonl@lasentinel.net

Through tennis, Venus and Serena Williams are two of the fittest women in the world. While tennis is a highly skilled sport, it also requires its players to be some of the greatest athletes. On the professional level, there are no out of shape tennis players, and on the recreational level, many people use the sport to stay in shape.

The Venus and Serena Williams Tennis Academy trains youth tennis players, and it also promotes a healthy lifestyle through sports training. The academy strives to combat obesity and diabetes in children, which is in line with First Lady Michelle Obama and the United States Tennis Association’s “Let’s Move” initiative.

Through the Youth Tennis Days events, the academy will provide information about preventing diabetes and controlling it.

One of the academy’s former players, Elizabeth Profit, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was two-years-old, but that did not stop her from becoming one of the top tennis players for her age group. Profit, who wears an insulin pump while she plays, is now 16-years-old and she is working towards becoming a professional tennis player.

The academy will host free tennis lessons for children 10 and under on Saturdays at various parks in the Los Angeles area. At each of the scheduled Youth Tennis Days, parents will be able to sign their children up for six weeks of free lessons.

Refreshments will be served and a raffle will be held (prizes will include junior rackets, dolls, remote controlled cars, etc).

For more information, contact the the Venus and Serena Williams Tutorial/Tennis Academy at 323-292-6844.

Taylor Townsend, right, and Eugenie Bouchard of Canada pose with their trophy after winning the girls' doubles final match at Wimbledon.AP Photo/Alastair Grant

Serena Williams says she's alarmed by the U.S. Tennis Association's decision to hold a top junior player out of competition over concerns about her fitness.

Sixteen-year-old Taylor Townsend is the world's top-ranked girl. The Wall Street Journal first reported last week that the USTA withheld funding her tournament appearances while she focused on getting in better shape.

"If that happened, that's obviously a tragedy, because everyone deserves to play," Williams said Monday, a day after winning the U.S. Open.

"She's so sweet and she works so hard," she added. "For a female, particularly, in the United States, in particular, and African-American, to have to deal with that is unnecessary. ... Women athletes come in all different sizes and shapes and colors and everything. I think you can see that more than anywhere on the tennis tour."

Townsend played at the Open, winning the junior doubles title and reaching the quarterfinals in singles.

"She's still No. 1," Williams said. "That's saying something."

]]>jasonl@lasentinel.net (The Associated Press)TennisWed, 26 Sep 2012 08:31:13 +0000Serena Williams is on her way to being the greatest everhttp://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9651:serena-williams-is-on-her-way-to-being-the-greatest-ever&catid=113&Itemid=203
http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9651:serena-williams-is-on-her-way-to-being-the-greatest-ever&catid=113&Itemid=203Williams is clearly the greatest of her era, but after dominating the U.S. Open a month after the Olympics and Wimbledon, she is making a run at the greatest of all time.

Serena Williams has already made it clear that she is by far the best female tennis player of her generation.At this point she is staking her claim to being the greatest of all time, and at the rate she is going, she’s making it difficult to argue for anybody else.

Williams dominated the field on her way to the finals at the U.S. Open.She needed to win 64 games over six matches to reach the finals, and she did it without losing a single set, and her opponents only won 19 games against her.Many of her opponents were simply trying to prolong the matches past an hour.The ones who did took that as some sort of victory, because they knew that they had no chance to beat the woman who just came off of a Wimbledon championship and an Olympic gold medal.

Even with the greatest players, there are matches where they do not play their best, but they have to reach deep down and pull out a victory, and that is what Williams did against top seeded Victoria Azarenka.Williams won 6-2, 2-6, 7-5, and in the third set she had to overcome being broken twice by Azarenka, which resulted in Williams being down 5-3, and Azarenka served for the championship after Williams held serve.

Williams was able to play flawless tennis down the stretch, as she won the final four games of the match to take home her fourth U.S. Open title.

As good as Azarenka played, it was really Williams beating herself at times that made this match close.Williams scored on 44 winners, compared to only 13 for Azarenka.She also had 13 aces, while Azarenka had none.But Williams had 45 unforced errors, compared to only 28 for Azarenka, which was the major difference in the game when Azarenka was on the verge of winning the match.

Williams did not play her best, but it was still better than anything Azarenka, or any other womens tennis player, could have offered.At this point she is not competing with her current competition, but she is competing with history.

Williams won her first grand slam in 1999, when she was 17 years old.Now she is 31, and she has won titles over a 13-year period, which is a longer span than any other woman in the professional era, which began in 1968.Martina Navratilova held the mark at 12 years before Williams tied and passed her.

Williams may not be able to reach the all time record for most grand slam titles by a woman, but that does not mean that she cannot be considered the greatest ever because of the different eras.But one thing is for sure, put any of the greats up against her, and she wins more times than not.

Venus and Serena Williams have four gold medals each, more than any other tennis player in Olympic history!

Venus and Serena Williams have been climbing the ranks of the greatest tennis players ever in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) for nearly a decade and a half, creating bios that boasts a combined 21 Grand Slam titles as they have overpowered and outlasted their competition.As great as their WTA bios are, their Olympic bios are even greater.

On the world’s greatest stage, the sisters have accumulated four gold medals each, more than any other male or female tennis player, making them the greatest Olympic tennis players ever.No other players even have four combined medals, gold, silver, or bronze.

Venus won a singles gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and the pair won the doubles gold medal that year as well.They went on to win the doubles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and this past week in London.

Serena was injured in 2004, causing her to miss the Athens Olympics, where Venus and teammate Chanda Rubin failed to medal, giving Venus her only loss ever in Olympic doubles competition.

The sisters have been so dominant in doubles action at the Olympics that while playing together they have never lost a single set in 15 matches, and they are the only pair ever to win the gold medal in doubles three times at the Olympics.

The day before taking home the gold in doubles in London, Serena equaled her sister in singles competition by winning the gold medal without much resistance from her opponent, defeating Maria Sharapova 6-0, 6-1.

With that victory Serena has taken one more step to cementing herself as the greatest women’s tennis player of all time, as she now has a Golden Slam in singles competition, which is winning all four WTA Grand Slam titles and the Olympic Gold.Steffi Graf is the only other player to accomplish that feat.

Serena has one upped Graf though, as she is the only tennis player ever, male or female, to win the Golden Slam in both singles and doubles.Roger Federer almost equaled that feat this year.He already has a Golden Slam in men’s doubles, but earlier this week he lost in the gold medal match to Andy Murray.

Serena’s singles victory also made her the first player since none other than her sister Venus to win both the singles and doubles gold medal in the same Olympics.

Venus and Serena have been the greatest female tennis players of this generation, with Serena leading the way.She is now chasing history as she has surpassed the conversation about being the greatest player of her era, which she clearly is.Now Serena is in the conversation of being the greatest player ever.

Strong arguments can still be made for Graf, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Billy Jean King, and Margaret Court.At this point they all have more Grand Slam titles than Serena, but it is hard to compare the competition level from different eras.

Even with more titles, put any of those ladies on the other side of the court while Serena is serving the ball and it would be hard to believe that any of them would stand much of a chance.Serena has served the ball as fast as 128 mph, which is the second fastest recorded time ever.Not surprisingly, the only woman to serve the ball faster is her sister Venus, who once served the ball at 129 mph.Serves like that were unheard of before this era, and the great women players before this generation would have never seen anything that fast.

Serena holds the all-time records for most aces in a match (24), and most aces in a tournament (102), both happening at the 2012 Wimbledon Championships.

Even at the age of 31, Serena is still well ahead of today’s competition, so she is still in the process of rewriting the record books.By the time her career is over there may not be any arguments.The girl from Compton may end up as the greatest women’s tennis player ever.

Serena Williams proved that she is not finished yet as she won her fifth Wimbledon title.She is now in the conversation with the greatest women’s tennis players ever, and she says that she is not done yet.AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

Serena and Venus Williams have been the best two women’s tennis players over the past 20 or so years, and they teamed up for another Wimbledon doubles title.AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth

Williams, arguably the greatest women’s player ever, is back on top and she plans to stay there for a while.

Even at the age of 30, with a two-year gap since her last Grand Slam title and a long list of recent health problems, Serena Williams is hoping she’s just getting started on something big.

Williams won her fifth Wimbledon title on Saturday — and 14th Grand Slam overall — to mark the culmination of an improbable comeback. With her health restored and her game back at its best, she’s not planning on slowing down anytime soon.

“It’s the beginning of a great phase,” Williams said after beating Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 on Centre Court. “I feel amazing out there. This whole tournament I felt really great physically. So it’s definitely the beginning of something great. I hope it is.”

Williams certainly looked great on Saturday, bossing Radwanska around the court for large stretches of the first and last set. She had a brief lapse in the second, tightening up as the most prestigious trophy in tennis was once again within her reach.

“Maybe I wanted it so bad that I got tight,” she said. “Instead of focusing on things that I was doing I was only focusing on things that I wasn’t doing.”

At least these days she’s focusing on tennis again.

Williams was sidelined for 10 months following her last Wimbledon title in 2010. A few days after that victory, she cut both feet on broken glass while leaving a restaurant in Germany and needed two operations. Then, it was blood clots in her lungs, which led to her being hospitalized and eventually needing another procedure.

With all those problems, many doubted she’d ever get back to the top. For a while, Williams doubted whether she’d ever be back on the court.

“I didn’t think I would play tennis again at one point, I just wanted to make it out of the hospital,” she said. “And I wasn’t even thinking about tennis. I was just thinking about my family, and thinking about just making it out of that moment. That’s when you realize you have perspectives about life.”

Over the last two weeks at Wimbledon, it often looked like she’d never been gone at all.

She broke her own tournament record for aces in a match with 23 against Zheng Jie in the third round. Less than a week later, she eclipsed that mark with 24 against Azarenka in the semifinals. In between, she ousted defending champion Petra Kvitova in straight sets in the quarterfinals.

The first set of the final was completely one-sided as Williams won the first five games. After her slump in the second, she won the last five games of the match as well to set off a tear-filled celebration. She climbed into the player’s box to hug her whole family, and used her victory speech to thank her sisters and parents for helping her get through her troubles.

A few hours later, she was back on Centre Court to win a fifth doubles title with sister Venus.

“She’s such a fighter, you never say die,” Venus Williams said. “Positivity really brought her a long way in that. I don’t think either of us believe that we can be defeated by anything. Nothing has defeated us yet, so we’re going to keep that track record.”

Williams is the first woman in her 30s to win a Wimbledon title since Martina Navratilova, who won at the All England Club in 1990 when she was 33.

But age hasn’t slowed her down so far. And if she stays healthy, Williams could soon match Navratilova’s total of 18 Grand Slam titles as well. Or why not the 22 that Steffi Graf won?

Williams isn’t setting any targets, though.

“I just think, the next one. If that doesn’t work out, the next one,” Williams said. “Even when I started I never had a number in mind. I remember when I reached eight, I was like ‘Oh my god, I have eight Grand Slams, how did this happen?’ And now I have 14, which is unbelievable. I’m happy that I’m no longer saying 13.”

So after all this, what else does she want to win?

“Are you kidding?” she said. “The U.S. Open, the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon 2013.”

If she stays healthy, it all looks within reach.

]]>jasonl@lasentinel.net (The Associated Press)TennisWed, 11 Jul 2012 18:41:11 +0000Serena falls in the first round of the French Openhttp://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=493:serena-falls-in-the-first-round-of-the-french-open&catid=113&Itemid=203
http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=493:serena-falls-in-the-first-round-of-the-french-open&catid=113&Itemid=203

Serena Williams had never lost in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament until this past Monday at the French Open. Photo by Christophe Ena, Associated Press

Serena Williams lost in the first round of a major tournament for the first time in her career, falling to Virginie Razzano of France 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 Tuesday at the French Open.The fifth-seeded Williams was two points from victory several times in the second set, including leading 5-1 in the tiebreaker. But Razzano won six straight points to force a third set, and then took control of the match.

"I made so many errors today, which isn't the game I was playing in the past," Williams said. "That's life."

Williams entered the day with a 46-0 record in first-round matches at Grand Slam tournaments. She had been looking for her 14th major title, and second at Roland Garros.The 13-time Grand Slam champion had five break points in the final game, but she couldn't convert.

"I was just thinking, if I can break here we'll be back on serve," Williams said.

Razzano saved all five, and then converted her eighth match point to eliminate one of the tournament favorites.

"I had to dig deep against a great champion and you could see until the end that she gave away nothing," Razzano said. "I had to go and get the victory. I had to be mentally strong, and I gave my everything."

Major tournaments in which Serena Williams was eliminated before the quarterfinals:

Serena Williams celebrates with the championship trophy after defeating Lucie?Safarova, of the Czech Republic, during their finals match at the Family?Circle Cup tennis tournament in Charleston, S.C., Sunday, April 8, 2012.?Williams won 6-0, 6-1. Photo by Mic Smith/AP

Venus Williams played in her second tournament since an autoimmune disease kept her off the courts for more than six months. She nearly made it to the semifinals of the Family Circle Cup tennis tournament. Photo by Mic Smith/AP

What a week for the Williams sisters.

Serena gained a title, Venus found a renewed belief in her game and both showed a calm confidence at the Family Circle Cup born of perspective and enduring difficult times.

Serena capped a dominant week with a powerful performance in the finals Sunday, defeating Lucie Safarova 6-0, 6-1 to win the championship. It was Serena Williams’ 40th career tournament title and her first win on clay since taking this event in 2008.

“It all came together a little bit,” Serena Williams said. “So hopefully I can improve on this and just use it as one block of building.”

Sister Venus has similar hopes. The 31-year-old star and seven-time grand slam winner was playing just her second tournament since an autoimmune disease — Sjogren’s syndrome — kept her sidelined for more than six months. Venus Williams reached the quarterfinals in her return at the Sony Ericsson Open and did the same here, showing off some solid tennis of her own in her first clay-court event in two years. Venus nearly made it to the semifinals, missing out on her first matchup with Serena since 2009 when Samantha Stosur rallied to win.

Then Serena got a bit of sisterly revenge, ousting Stosur in dominating 6-1, 6-1 fashion.Still, Venus’ effort moved her up about 60 spots in the rankings from where she started last month at 134th in the world. “I’ve never been so happy to be ranked 70,” Venus said with a smile.

It was that sort of tournament for the Williamses, who both showed an easy grace throughout the Family Circle.

Serena cracked herself up plenty after matches, joking about having the game to defeat friend Andy Roddick or having her dogs pop out in the media room after beating Safarova.

Serena, 30, said she’s got plenty on her plate off the court which keeps her mind free for tennis when it’s time to compete. Williams spoke of re-launching her clothing line on a TV shopping network and papers she’s got due for school that she hasn’t done.

She’s even thought of moving to Paris, which she’s said several times is her favorite city.

“Yeah, I was thinking about it and I told my mom the other day, how would she feel if I moved to Paris,” Serena said. “I didn’t tell my dad, though.”

Venus, 31, spent more time discussing her changed attitude about tennis than about what strokes she needed to improve.

“I think a lot of people go into matches and they’re worried about their game,” Venus Williams said. “I don’t worry about that anymore, so my priorities are completely different.”

Williams was honored to help celebrate the legacy of women’s tennis at the Family Circle. She took part in a gala dinner Friday night in honor of the sport’s “Original 9” players led by Billie Jean King who started the women’s pro tour in 1970. Three years later, the WTA was founded and the Family Circle began. “So I feel grateful to have this job,” Venus said with a nod to the founders.

There was a time when about the only priority for both sisters was coming out on top. The two have combined for 20 grand slam titles — Serena has 13, Venus seven — and their matchups were can’t-miss affairs for the sport. During one stretch in 2002 and 2003, Serena won five grand slam championships and beat Venus in the finals of each.

Venus has had her wins over Serena, too, coming out on top over her younger sister in the 2001 U.S. Open and the 2006 Wimbledon championships. These days, the two seem content with their games and places in the sport.

They tried to stoke up some fire for the potential semifinal meeting, but none of it got very far. Serena was more pointed than Venus about going after the French Open title — only one of Serena’s major championships came at Roland Garros — and how the Family Circle win was a great starting point.

Local tennis club says don’t want until New Year’s to get into shape. That’s what members of SoCal’s largest Black tennis club are asking.

With the New Year’s weight loss rush set to commence on January 2, the Rancho Cienega Tennis Club is inviting former tennis players and beginners to come out and join them for their monthly potluck mixer at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center of L.A. on Saturday, December 3, 2011 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

“Tennis is one of those sports that works out your entire body,” board member Denise Self says. “It’s a great way to work off those extra holiday pounds or to get a jumpstart on 2012 by trying something new or coming back to a sport that you once enjoyed.”

A sport recently made more popular in America over the last decade with the help of the Williams’ sisters, Venus and Serena, tennis has been time honored tradition among Blacks in Los Angeles many of whom hold court daily at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center of L.A. located adjacent to Dorsey High School in Baldwin Hills.

One of the oldest and the largest African-American tennis clubs in California, the Rancho Cienega Tennis Club boasts members of all ages, shapes, sizes, and skill levels who come out from dawn until dusk seven days a week to the twelve court tennis center that was recently remodeled thanks to 10th District Councilmember and now Council President-Elect Herb Wesson Jr.

For those who have never picked up a racket, local tennis legend and Master Tennis Coach LeGeorge Mauldin hosts a weekly adult group tennis class on Wednesday evenings from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. in addition to offering private classes.

“The parks are here for us to use,” says Phyllis Taylor, board member of the tennis club and long time tennis player. “Instead of paying to join a gym, we should take more advantage of the resources right in our community.”

If you want to get a jumpstart on your 2012 weight loss goal and learn something new, the Rancho Cienega Tennis Club invites you to join them Sat., Dec. 3, from 12 p.m. until 4 p.m. at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center of L.A. (5001 S. Rodeo Road) for their membership drive and potluck mixer event. Find out more about them and the event online at www.ranchotennisclub.org.

Kids were playing sports. Parents were chatting amongst themselves about their kids’ activities.

However there was a group of men on the tennis courts that had a certain aura about them that wasn’t so typical. These men were different from the rest. These men were champions.

Last month the men from the Rancho Cienega Tennis Club went to Indian Wells representing the Southern California section. They returned as the 2011 USTA League 4.0 Senior National Champions.

For their accomplishments, the team was recognized this past Saturday with trophies from the United States Tennis Association, as well as certificates of achievement from the Pete Brown Scholarship Fund and congratulatory certificates from the office of Los Angeles City Councilman Herb Wesson.

“We in the Southern California Tennis Association are happy to recognize this because, after all, tennis is what we’re about and these guys represent a real excellent result,” said Southern California Tennis Association executive director Henry Talbert.

This is the first championship for the team, which lost in the national semifinals two years ago.

“After coming so close in 2009, winning this year in 2011 was a sweet vindication,” said Johnson.

Many of the players have faced each other before as members of different clubs.

“I’ve been fortunate to play against these guys an awful lot. In fact in the senior league last year, Verdell and all the guys out of here whipped my team pretty good,” said Troster, who previously played for a team in Toluca Lake. “So I got to meet some of these guys. And I was thrilled when I got the call to come over and play for them this year.”

Troster got that call from Moody, who has partnered on the court with Kigawa for the past 28 years.

“We’ve been playing with and against each other for a long time so we decided to put our best teams together, best players together,” said Moody. “And when you put your best people together you come up with a great team, and you accomplish special things, and that’s what we did.”

The championship didn’t come easy to the team, which faced a 5-1 deficit against Texas in a set in the semifinals.

“They were just blowing us off the court,” said Moody. “So what we did was we changed strategy on them. We started playing Aussie to take away their cross-court returns. We started playing back when they were serving, keep the ball in play. We poach, fake-poach. And they couldn’t handle it.”

The team went on to win the set, before taking the next set 6-1.

In the finals against Hawaii, Kigawa credits the team’s composure and consistency with helping them capture the championship.

“At that level a lot of people have the skills,“ said Kigawa. “What separates them apart is the strategy and the mental toughness, and just desire to overcome any obstacle no matter what it may be, and just never to quit on any shot.”

The championship means a lot to Adams, who feels that the surrounding community plays a large role in the team's success. Yet league rules limit returning teams to bringing back just three players from the year before, which could damper Adams’ hopes for a repeat. Although he doesn’t seem discouraged.

“We’ve got a lot of players that are eligible to be on the team next year, which means that if all goes right we can probably have a chance to do it again,” said Adams.

Fifteen-year-old Elizabeth Profit is not sitting on the sidelines because of Type I diabetes, she is day dreaming about the day when she turns pro. Photo by Jason Lewis

Profit manages her diabetes during matches using an insulin pump, which she clips on her hip. It does not give her issues during her matches. Photo by Jason Lewis

By Jason LewisSentinel Sports Editorjasonl@lasentinel.net

Elizabeth Profit has been working on her dream to become a professional tennis player since she was six-years-old, and she is not going to let an obstacle such as type 1 diabetes get in her way.

Profit first picked up a tennis racket when she was only two years old. Her mother would throw a rolled up sock towards her, and she would try to hit it with her tennis racket. About that same time, she was diagnosed with diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. The body’s immune system destroys cells that make the hormone insulin. It is different from type 2 diabetes, which is the more common form of the disease, and typically develops later in life and often can be controlled by dietary changes.

Diet and exercise are prescribed to people with type 2 diabetes, but for people with type 1 diabetes, exercise can cause blood-sugar levels to drop. Which means that exercise, food intake and insulin injections must be carefully monitored and balanced.

Profit wears an insulin pump on her hip, which is clipped to her shorts, as she trains six days a week and plays in tennis tournaments. The pump sends insulin into her body on an hourly basis, but if she needs more she can press a button.

The pump that Profit currently uses does not give her any problems while playing, but in the past she has had problems with other pumps, which would fall off at times while she was playing.

During a match, Profit has her mind set on winning the game.

“I’m mostly focused on the game at hand, but every other change over I check my blood-sugar,” Profit said. “If it is high then I give myself insulin through the pump, and if it is low then I just eat something. When it is low I feel tired, and then I start making, not very smart decisions. And then I stop running, and running is a big part of my game, because I’m more of a defensive player… more like counter puncher… which turns into offense. But when it is high, my muscles lock up and I start cramping.”

Profit’s tennis career began on the tennis courts of the Rancho Cienega Sports Complex, and she now trains at the United States Tennis Association (USTA) training facilities in Carson.

This past year Profit made it to the finals of the Super National Championships in Tucson, Arizona, and she made it to the quarterfinals of both the Super National clay court tournament in Virginia and the Super National hard court tournament in San Diego.

Travel time really appeals to Profit, who has played in two international tournaments in Atlanta and South Carolina, but her favorite tournament was at Club Med in the Bahamas.

“It was amazing, I never had so much fun playing at a tennis tournament,” Profit said. “I drank a lot of smoothies, and they had parties every night, so I went to the parties, and I hung out with my friends.”

Other than the travel, Profit loves tennis because it is a very competitive sport.

“I just like when it’s five all in the third set, and you’re down by a break point, and you hit a shot to come back,” Profit said. “You get this amazing feeling.”

The goal for Profit is not to just be No. 1 in her age group, but to one day be No. 1 in the world, professionally.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are Profit’s favorite tennis players.

“I like how graceful Roger Federer is, it looks so easy for him to hit the ball,” Profit said. “And I wish that I can hit the ball like him. And Nadal, I just like the way he fights.”

At this point in Profit’s career, she’s more of a defensive player. She waits for her opponent to make a mistake, and then she goes on the offensive and strikes. But she’s working to become more of an offensive player.

However she fine tunes her game, Profit can certainly do it while playing with type 1 diabetes. Other athletes are doing it, such as Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, NBA players Adam Morrison and Chris Dudley, and Hall of Fame tennis player Bill Talbert.

NEW YORK (AP)—Serena Williams was fined $2,000 by the U.S. Open on Monday for berating the chair umpire during the final.

Tournament referee Brian Earley issued his ruling a day after Williams was cited by chair umpire Eva Asderaki for a code violation for verbal abuse during a 6-2, 6-3 loss to Sam Stosur in the women’s singles championship match at Flushing Meadows.

A statement issued by the U.S. Tennis Association said the fine “is consistent with similar offenses at Grand Slam events.”

Williams earned $1.4 million at the U.S. Open: $900,000 for finishing as the runner-up, plus a $500,000 bonus for having come in first place in the U.S. Open Series standings, which take into account results at hard-court tuneup tournaments.

The USTA also said Grand Slam committee director Bill Babcock conducted his own review and determined “Williams’ conduct, while verbally abusive, does not rise to the level of a major offense under the Grand Slam Code of Conduct.”

That means Williams does not face further disciplinary action—which could have included a fine and suspension from a Grand Slam tournament—under the “probationary period” she was put under after yelling at and threatening a line judge after a foot-fault call at the end of her loss to Kim Clijsters in the 2009 U.S. Open semifinals.

On Sunday night against Stosur, Williams faced a break point while serving in the first game of the second set.

Williams ripped a forehand that she celebrated with her familiar yell of “Come on!” But Asderaki ruled that the scream came while Stosur was reaching for a backhand, so the point wasn’t finished. Based on the hindrance rule, Asderaki awarded the point to Stosur, putting the Australian ahead 1-0 in that set.

That set Williams off on a series of insults directed at the official, a scene far less ugly than—yet reminiscent of—her tirade on the same court two years ago.

A sampling of what Williams said, prompting Asderaki to call the code violation:

— “You’re out of control.”

— “You’re a hater, and you’re just unattractive inside.”

— “Really, don’t even look at me.”

Asked at her news conference Sunday night whether she regretted any of her words, the 13-time Grand Slam champion rolled her eyes and replied: “I don’t even remember what I said. It was just so intense out there. … I guess I’ll see it on YouTube.”

In 2009, Williams’ profanity-laced outburst at a line judge led to an immediate $10,000 fine from the U.S. Open and later a record $82,500 fine from Babcock. At the time, Babcock said that if Williams committed a “major offense” at a Grand Slam tournament in 2010 or 2011, her fine could be doubled and she would be barred from the following U.S. Open.

Tequan Neal had to move quickly to run down a ball that was nearly out of his reach. Photo by Jason Lewis

Kendra Glover returned her opponent’s volley with ease. Photo by Jason Lewis

The Venus & Serena Williams Summer Vacation Tennis Camp has been in full swing since June, but it is not too late for children ages five to 18 to attend. There are two more sessions remaining, and more may be added.

Each session is a week long, and includes daily tennis lessons, video analysis, hand eye coordination drills, chess lessons, a talent show, and a field trip.

The main goal of the camp is to teach these kids tennis, and develop their skills so that they can get to the next level, all while having fun during their summer break.

“The experiences that the kids at the camp are having is very good,” said Richard Williams, Camp Director, and the father of Venus and Serena. “Every time I come I’m very surprised at the work that they have done, and how well it’s done. And it’s done with a great attitude. That’s what they need to get to the next level.”

The camp is held at Rancho Cienega Sports Complex. To register your child, stop by the Rancho Cienega Tennis Shop, or call them at (323) 299-4631

After nearly a year away from tennis because of health problems, Serena Williams looked very good in the early stages at Wimbledon, but she was defeated in the fourth round. AP Photo

Venus Williams missed five months because of injuries, but she still looked like she could make a run at the Wimbledon championship. But like her sister, she was defeated in the fourth round. Kirsty Wigglesworth / AP

Williams sisters’ feel good stories end in the fourth round at Wimbledon.

By HOWARD FENDRICH/AP Tennis Writer

WIMBLEDON, England — Walking away from Centre Court, Oracene Price — mother and sometimes-coach to Serena and Venus Williams — shook her head after watching one daughter lose at Wimbledon, then the other.

Undeniably great as she is, even defending champion Serena found it too tough to make a deep run at her first Grand Slam tournament in a year after a series of health scares. And as successful as Venus has been at the All England Club, even she couldn’t muster her best after missing nearly five months with a hip injury.

“I don’t think their layoffs helped their rhythm,” Price said. “They both seemed to be making the same kinds of mistakes. They were hit-and-miss, here and there.”

They’re both headed home after straight-set exits in the fourth round against far-less-accomplished opponents Monday. First, 13-time major champion Serena lost 6-3, 7-6 (6) to ninth-seeded Marion Bartoli on Court 1. Then, less than two hours later and before a Centre Court crowd that included Prince William and his new bride, Kate, five-time Wimbledon champion Venus was beaten 6-2, 6-3 by 32nd-seeded Tsvetana Pironkova.

Adding to the chaotic nature of the afternoon, top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki lost, too, although she’s still searching for her first Grand Slam singles trophy, while the Williams sisters own a total of 20.

“Definitely not our best day,” Venus said. “I think we both envisioned seeing this day going a little bit different.”

And why shouldn’t they have? After all, Venus and her younger sister combined to win nine of the past 11 Wimbledon titles, including Serena’s victories in 2009 and 2010. They even played each other in four of the finals in that span.

“Well, I never came here thinking I would lose,” said Serena, a former No. 1 whose ranking now will plummet to about 175th. “That’s my attitude.”

It’s the first time since 2006 that neither Williams is in the Wimbledon quarterfinals; Venus lost in the third round that year, while Serena skipped that tournament because of a left knee injury. Of the 12 years that both entered the field at the All England Club, this is the first neither one made it past the fourth round.

That’s true: They last lost on the same day at a Grand Slam tournament on May 30, 2008, in the French Open’s third round.

All in all, it was a topsy-turvy day at the All England Club. Set aside, for a moment, what went on with the Williams sisters, and digest Monday’s various other happenings:

— Wozniacki still has yet to make it past the fourth round at Wimbledon after a 1-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5 defeat against No. 24 Dominika Cibulkova;

— defending champion and top-seeded Rafael Nadal initially thought he broke his left foot and might have to quit late in the first set, then lost the second set, but eventually beat 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4;

— six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer dropped his first set of the fortnight

— against a man he was 10-0 against, no less

— before righting himself to reach a 29th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal;

— 18-year-old Bernard Tomic of Australia became the youngest man in the Wimbledon quarterfinals since 1986, when Boris Becker went on to win his second title in a row;

— 2010 runner-up Tomas Berdych went out in straight sets against 10th-seeded Mardy Fish, who never before reached the quarterfinals at the All England Club but now is the last American, man or woman, left in the tournament.

“Last. ... Not what you set out to do,” said Fish, who is 0-5 against Nadal heading into their quarterfinal. “It was, I guess, bad luck for the Williams sisters to lose. Unfortunate, I guess. They’ll be back, I’m sure.”

They won’t be around for the women’s quarterfinals Tuesday, which are: Cibulkova of Slovakia vs. No. 5 Maria Sharapova of Russia, Bartoli of France vs. wild-card entry Sabine Lisicki of Germany, No. 8 Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic vs. Pironkova of Bulgaria, and No. 4 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus vs. Tamira Paszek of Austria. It’s the first time since 1913 that the last eight women at Wimbledon are from Europe — and, as it happens, eight countries are represented.

Sharapova is the only quarterfinalist who’s won a Grand Slam title; her three major championships include Wimbledon in 2004.

]]>jasonl@lasentinel.net (Associated Press)TennisWed, 29 Jun 2011 22:44:38 +0000Williams sisters return to tennis action http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2178:williams-sisters-return-to-tennis-action&catid=113&Itemid=203
http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2178:williams-sisters-return-to-tennis-action&catid=113&Itemid=203EASTBOURNE, England — Venus Williams made a successful return to competition after a five-month layoff with a tough 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 win over eighth-seeded Andrea Petkovic in the first round of the Eastbourne International on Monday.

The 30-year-old Williams was clearly rusty. She began the match with two double-faults and made a series of unforced errors, particularly off the forehand side.

But the five-time Wimbledon champion won with her grass-court experience and aggressive play. She wasted three match points in the final game and saved a break point before finally clinching victory when Petkovic went wide with a forehand.

Williams said the blustery wind and damp air on England’s southeast coast contributed to an erratic performance. The 30-year-old slipped on the baseline in the 11th game of the second set, almost doing a split.

"It was definitely an adventure today," she said. "Falling down every other point, coming back from such a long layoff, competing against someone who’s been playing so well in the last 12 months.

"I was extremely excited to come back with the win. More than anything, I was just really extremely excited to have the opportunity to play another match."

Petkovic was on the other side of the net when Williams had to retire from her last match at the Australian Open in January with a hip injury.

"It felt fitting, I guess," Williams said. "It was a great way to start it all off."

Petkovic went on to reach the quarterfinals in Melbourne and has since risen to No. 11 in the rankings. The 23-year-old led 4-2 in the first set before losing it 7-5, but she fought back to rally from a break down to take the second.

One break in the third set was enough for Williams to seal a spot in the second round, where she will play former top-ranked player Ana Ivanovic or Julia Goerges of Germany.

"It’s a victory to be healthy," said Williams, who added that she felt no pain from her hip during the match. "As long as I can stay healthy, I know my game will just keep improving every day."

Sister Serena will make her return to action after nearly a year out against Tsvetana Pironkova. She could then face top-seeded Vera Zvonareva.

Williams says nearly a year away from tennis hasn’t diminished her competitive spirit.

The 13-time Grand Slam champion returns to action at the Eastbourne International after recovering from an injured tendon in her foot, which led to a blood clot in her lung.

Williams says doctors warned her the blood clot could have ended her career. That taught the 29-year-old about "not taking things for granted."

But she says her attitude hasn’t changed and that she still has "that insatiable, innate thing inside of me that I want everything; I just want to win."

Williams opens against Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria as she warms up for the defense of her Wimbledon title.

]]>jasonl@lasentinel.net (Associated Press)TennisThu, 16 Jun 2011 01:59:53 +000025 Years and Over 150,000 Youngsters Benefit from the Game of Tennis http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3853:25-years-and-over-150-000-youngsters-benefit-from-the-game-of-tennis&catid=113&Itemid=203
http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3853:25-years-and-over-150-000-youngsters-benefit-from-the-game-of-tennis&catid=113&Itemid=20325 Years and Over 150,000 Youngsters Benefit from the Game of Tennis

Due to the continued funding by the LA84 Foundation of Los Angeles, children between the ages of 8 and 17 can receive tennis instruction at 135 Southern California locations offered by the Southern California Tennis Association (SCTA), beginning the week of July 5.

Funded by the LA84 Foundation for the past 25 years, the Southern California Tennis Association NJTL program will provide over 8,000 youngsters this summer from economically disadvantaged areas with an opportunity to gain tennis experience and growth. Each participant in the LA84 Foundation SCTA/NJTL youth tennis program receives 24 hours of tennis instruction during a six-week period, a T-shirt, and Certificate of Participation.

There is a registration fee of $10.00. However, scholarships are offered in case of economic need. Tennis racquets are provided if necessary. Prizes and awards will be presented at the LA84 FOUNDATION SCTA/NJTL Youth Tennis Carnival and Championship Tournaments held in August, also, tickets to the Farmers Classic, a men's professional event at the Los Angeles Tennis Center at UCLA July 26 - August 1stare awarded to some of the youngsters who excel during their instruction.

The NJTL Youth Tennis Program is also funded through individual and corporate sponsors.

Three new sites will be offered this summer. Registration information is listed below:

Martin Luther King Jr. Park

3916 South Western Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90062

Contact: George Weaver at (323) 846-1649

African American Unity Center

944 West 53rd Street

Los Angeles, CA 90037

Contact: George Weaver at (323) 846-1649

Weingart YMCA

9900 S. Vermont Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90044

Contact Mykol Lewis at (323) 754-3191 X 7517

For further information and a brochure listing all the locations of the LA84 Foundation SCTA/NJTL, contact Melanie Bischoff at the Southern California Tennis Association (310) 208- 3838 x239.

Venus Williams has won Wimbledon five times, while her sister Serena, who is the defending champion, has won it three times.

By Jason LewisSentinel Sports Editor

It is only fitting that the Williams sisters are the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. Â Since 2000 the two of them have won eight of the singles titles, and one of them have appeared in each championship match all but once over that time period.

Older sister Venus, who is seeded No. 2 this year, has won the tournament five times, while Serena has won it three times.

The past two years has seen a Venus vs. Serena finals match up, with Venus winning in 2008 and Serena winning last year.

The dominance does not stop at singles titles. Â The ladies have won the doubles title four times since 2000, and have won it the last two years. Â Each time the two have played in the Wimbledon doubles finals they have won in straight sets.

There is no question that these two women have been better than any other women in tennis over the past two years. Â They have simply dominated the field, and when it looked like they had fallen off a couple years ago, they both proved their doubters wrong by winning multiple Grand Slam titles.

If you want to watch the sisters play live you will have to wake up pretty early in the morning. Â These two women are worth the early rise.

Â

]]>lawjoomlaadmin@ronchambers.com (Jason Lewis (Sports Editor))TennisThu, 24 Jun 2010 17:52:09 +0000The Tennis Beat: Williams Sisters are set for U.S. Open http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5360:the-tennis-beat-williams-sisters-are-set-for-u-s-open&catid=113&Itemid=203
http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5360:the-tennis-beat-williams-sisters-are-set-for-u-s-open&catid=113&Itemid=203The Tennis Beat: Williams Sisters are set for U.S. Open

By Fred Williams

Sentinel Contributing Writer

Serena and Venus Williams are seeded No. 1 and 3 at the U.S. Open Championship, which started last Monday. The winner of the singles division will earn $1.6 million. The sisters are on the same side of the draw and are scheduled to potentially meet in the semi-finals.

Serena is the defending champion. She has won two grand slams this year (Australian Open and Wimbledon). So far this year, she earned over $3 million and today is top money earner of all women's sports. This month's issue of "Inside Tennis" has her on the cover and a four-page interview with her.

Between them, the sisters have won over 12 Grand Slam Tournaments. They are the only siblings to do so in modern times. The sisters have been setting records since their junior playing days.

In 1991, Venus won the girls' 12-year-old singles and Serena won the girls' 10-year-old singles of the prestigious Southern California Junior Championship. In that same year, Venus was ranked No. 1 in the 12 year old division and Serena No. 1 in the 10 year old division.

In 1992, they played each other at the Forum. Soon after, they stopped playing junior tournaments and moved to Florida. In her pro debut in 1994, Venus almost beat the No. 1 player in the world. Venus won the first set 6-0 and was up 3-0 in the second before running out of gas.Â The following week she played to a capacity crowd at the Manhattan Beach Country Club, losing to Steffi Graf 4-6, 4-6.

Between 1994 and 1997, Venus rose up in the rankings. In 1997, she shocked the tennis community by reaching the finals of the U.S. Open where she lost to Martina Hingis. Soon after, Serena made her mark on he circuit. Like Venus, she rose fast in the rankins and in 1999, she won her first Grand Slam, the U.S. Open. Venus won her first Grand Slam in 2000 (Wimbledon).

Â The Venus and Serena Williams Tennis Academy located at the Arthur Ashe Tennis Center of L.A. will begin its second Spring 8-week Wednesday night adult group tennis session on May 20. For eight (8) Wednesdays beginning May 20 through July 8 between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., adults of all levels can enjoy the sport of tennis in a group class. With instruction from master tennis instructor Le George Mauldin (as seen on KNBC-TV Channel 4), classes are one hour and rackets are provided. All classes will take place at the Rancho Cienega Sports Complex located at 5001 Rodeo Boulevard in Los Angeles. The eight (8) week session is $88 payments can be made in person or online at www.tenniswithlegeorge.com. Limited space is available. For more information or to sign up, please call Le George Mauldin at (323) 392-6864. Additionally, the Venus and Serena Williams Tennis Academy is open seven days a week with instructors available for private, semi-private, and group lessons.

DOUBLING UP: Venus and Serena Williams pose with their third Wimbledon doubles championship trophies a day after Venus, left, defeated her younger sister to win the singles title, her fifth overall.

Their epic rise from Compton asphalt to the manicured grass courts of Wimbledon

The massive rectangular sign that hangs above the clay courts on the estate of Richard Williams in Palm Beach, FL reads simply: “King of Compton!”

In West Los Angeles, a similar sign above the asphalt courts at Rancho Cienega reads; “Venus and Serena Williams Tennis Academy!”

While tennis reigning queens Venus and Serena Williams may have left Compton nearly 20 years ago, their legacy and ironically their sorrow will forever be linked to fenced-in, rugged, asphalt courts at East Rancho where their raw skills were nourished and ultimately developed by their father Richard Williams.

City officials in Compton have long sought for their return there to share with other youngsters their magical ride from obscure poverty to sports and entertainment fame.

But after an older sister was slain in the city several years ago, that tragedy and the pain of it have keep the most famous citizens of Compton afar.

Nonetheless, one could not help but remember from where their legacy was born when the two sisters tore through the prestigious women’s bracket at Wimbledon last week to claim both the single and doubles championships, respectively.

They met in the finals last Saturday, July 5th for the second time and this time older sister Venus prevailed in a hard fought straight set match 7-5,6-4 to capture her fifth Venus Rosewater dish.

The next day, she was joined by her sister in capturing the women’s doubles championships win a straight set washout of American Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur 6-2, 6-2.

Combined, they have won 15 Grand Slam tournament titles and their record in head to head competition is even at 8-8.

The two have earned in excess of $100 million in prize money and endorsements since that moment their father saw a tennis match on television and recognized the winning check was more than he made for the entire year.

Their once carefully shielded lives are beginning to unfold before the eyes of the world now as they are just as famous for their athletic careers as they are for their other endorsements and professional ventures.

The impact that both the sisters have had on women’s tennis include not just making sure that prize money for women in equal to that of men, but the color of their skin is not at all lost on the still lily white sport of tennis.

Venus and Serena have elevated the popularity of women’s tennis to a stratosphere that it has never before attained, much like Tiger Woods has lifted the sport of golf beyond it’s wildest dreams.

However, unlike Woods, Venus and Serena have opened the gates to an Academy such as the Venus and Serena Williams Tennis Academy that is not just for aspiring tennis pros, but just for young kids who want to be kids and have fun.

At the young ages of 28 and 26, the critics are already predicting how much more they will play. Just like many of them never thought they would reach the heights they have.

It did not surprise me that one published article questioned how Serena reacted when she lost to her sister as if a lost to her older sister in a championship of a prestigious tournament should not allow her the same emotions as say someone white.

One of the primary problems with the entire specter of sports are not just the individuals play it, but those who cover it. For many of them and not to any fault of their own, they try explaining the feelings of an individual they have absolutely nothing in common with.

Venus and Serena are African American tennis stars who hail from Compton and no matter when they play or what tournament they win, they will forever be reminded of the color of their skin and where they came from and that is not at all a bad thing, except that we don’t have to be reminded.

Venus overpowered the fifth-seeded Dementieva in the first set and then prevailed in an error-filled tiebreak to improve her record to 7-0 in semifinals at the All England Club.

"I am dying for S. Williams to get through," said the 28-year-old Venus, who hasn't dropped a set in five matches and will be going for her seventh Grand Slam title.

Venus then went back out to watch her 26-year-old sister, who sat through rain breaks in both sets before cranking up her big serve, saving a set point in the second set and finishing off the 133rd-ranked Zheng to put her one win away from a ninth Grand Slam crown.

After Zheng dumped a second serve into the net on match point, Serena looked more relieved than anything to get through the match. Venus fiddled with her fingernails as she watched alongside their father, Richard, in the players' box.

"She definitely pushed me," Serena said of Zheng, the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam semifinal and first wild-card entrant to get this far at Wimbledon. "Unbelievable, and not only that she played a great game. She played like she had nothing to lose and she didn't.

"I wanted to do more than make a Wimbledon final," she added. "I'm just happy to be back in a Grand Slam final."

]]>lasassociatedpress@ronchambers.com (Associated Press)TennisThu, 03 Jul 2008 05:27:29 +0000Top Shop Pros Still Producing at Venus & Serena Williams Tennis Academyhttp://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7720:top-shop-pros-still-producing-at-venus-serena-williams-tennis-academy&catid=113&Itemid=203
http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7720:top-shop-pros-still-producing-at-venus-serena-williams-tennis-academy&catid=113&Itemid=203Ten years ago, tennis was not widely regarded as one of the more popular sports within South Los Angeles.

Children not even old enough to speak had already mastered dunking their miniature size basketballs and did not care to learn about tennis.

This notion drastically changed when two little girls from Compton, and their determined father, set the Tennis world on fire.

In the Southern California Tennis Associations’ adult and junior rankings, pros at The Shop have a long history of producing top players. The Shop’s head pro and owner, Rich Williams, is the well known pro who taught Richard Williams, father of future powerhouses Venus & Serena Williams.

Some of the top ten players that The Shop Pros have produced or have given extensive lessons include former top ten junior player Leslie Koffi (who played in the $1.5 million dollar tournament in Lacosta in 2003), former top ten player Otis Smith, Jr. (ranked in the top two hundred on the pro tour after playing for UCLA), Teresa Jennings (former player at USC), Amber Harper (currently playing for USC), and Kenny Brown (who recently graduated from Howard university). In more recent years, The Shop has produced the following talent: Samantha Smith (presently #6 in the girls’ 18 singles), Coy Jones-Hunter (presently ranked No. 2 in the girls’ 14 singles), and Shayla Fulton (who ranked No.3 in the girls’ 10 singles in 2005).

On Saturday, May 17, Sports Explorer will host a fun-filled celebration of the ninth annual National Women’s Health Week entitled “A Taste of Tennis” at Crenshaw High School.

The event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature a tennis party in celebration of Tennis Month and workshops that will feature belly dancing, drumming, basketball and baseball competitions along with several guest speakers.

This will be the third year the event has come to Crenshaw and it’s promising to be one of the best as it will not only showcase the young talent in the community but also keep the parents healthy as well.

The Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run skills competition will be for kids aged 7-14 and the winners will advance to the regional competition with a chance to attend the 2008 MLB All-Star Game should they advance to the sectionals. Crenshaw’s baseball team will be on hand to assist with the competition.

The Jr. Olympic Rapid Rally Nike Basketball tournament will be for kids aged 8-13 and the winners will also advance to a regional competition to continue playing for a chance to attend the Olympic Training Center in Colorado with all expenses paid.

All kids must bring their parents in order to compete and while they are playing, the parents can take part in the Wellness Solutions Seminar that will include free blood pressure checks and a walk around Crenshaw in addition to the tennis and belly dancing lessons.

With over 1,500 expected to attend, many will be taking this year’s theme of “Get Inspired. Get Healthy” to heart and do their part to ensure they and their families are living a healthy lifestyle.

]]>brian@lasentinel.net (Brian W. Carter (Staff Writer))TennisThu, 15 May 2008 07:05:38 +0000Serena on Top of Her Game Againhttp://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7952:serena-on-top-of-her-game-again&catid=113&Itemid=203
http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7952:serena-on-top-of-her-game-again&catid=113&Itemid=203Wins 1st clay court title since 2002

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Serena Williams captured the Family Circle Cup title Sunday, defeating Vera Zvonareva 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 for her first clay court title since the 2002 French Open.

Williams’ third title of the year was expected to lift her to No. 6 in the rankings. She won earlier in Bangalore and Miami. She is 19-1 in matches this year after winning her 31st career title on the green clay here on a breezy, overcast afternoon.

“I feel like I have some momentum behind me and I just want to keep going,” said the fifth-seeded Williams, who won $197,000 and a crystal cup at the $1.3 million tournament. “I definitely look at everyone as my clay court competition.”

Unlike earlier matches at the Family Circle, Williams started strong, winning the first set and scattering 10 aces during the match.

“I just wanted to get that first set under my belt, and thank God I did because I lost the second,” said Williams, who anticipated long day against the ninth-seeded Russian. “I’ve played her a few times, so I really know her game and she’s a real fighter and she never stops.”

Williams improved to 5-1 against Zvonareva, who should rise to No. 14 in the rankings by making the finals.

In the third set, Zvonareva broke Williams in the third game — the final point on Williams’ second double-fault of the day.

But Williams broke back in the next game, then held serve at love in the next.

“She never made a mistake when I was up,” Zvonareva said. “I think I could have done a little better job about holding my serve, which I wasn’t able to do.”

Williams then broke Zvonareva a second time, taking advantage of two consecutive double-faults.

“She always puts pressure on you, so you always have to go for a bigger serve and eventually your serve percentage goes down,” said Zvonareva, who ended with eight double-faults. “I accepted I would have some double-faults today and I knew it was going to happen when I was coming into the match. It’s just too bad to have two of them in a row.”

It was Williams’ fifth appearance in Charleston, but her first title. She was runner-up to Justine Henin in 2003.

]]>lasassociatedpress@ronchambers.com (Associated Press)TennisThu, 24 Apr 2008 17:13:05 +0000Serena Open is Closed Casehttp://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8655:serena-open-is-closed-case&catid=113&Itemid=203
http://lasentinel.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8655:serena-open-is-closed-case&catid=113&Itemid=203NEW YORK - Maybe Serena Williams wasn’t as healthy as she said. Maybe she wasn’t as match-tested as she really needed to be.

This much is certain: When it comes to playing Justine Henin at Grand Slams this year, Williams has been overmatched every time.

Finding all the right angles and hanging tough on long rallies, Henin beat Williams 7-6 (3), 6-1 Tuesday night to reach the U.S. Open semifinals. They have met in the quarterfinals at three consecutive majors, and Henin is 3-0.

Asked if she could explain what went wrong, a sullen Williams replied: “No. I can’t. I’m sorry. Any more questions?”

“She made a lot of lucky shots,” Williams said a moment later, a white baseball cap pulled low over her eyes, “and I made a lot of errors.”

So while the formerly No. 1-ranked Williams is the active leader among women with eight Grand Slam titles and will stay on that number, current No. 1 Henin will have a chance to get her seventh major.

“Playing Serena is really exciting for me,” Henin said after compiling a 30-17 edge in winners. “I was really happy about the second set. I played much more aggressive.”

Henin’s next opponent could be another Williams: Serena’s older sister, Venus, faces No. 3 Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals Wednesday night. Not much question for whom Henin will be rooting, she’s 1-7 against Venus Williams, 7-0 against Jankovic.

Henin beat the younger Williams at the French Open en route to her fourth title in five years there, and again at Wimbledon.

“I got a lot of confidence in Paris and London,” Henin said.

Their matchup at Wimbledon in July didn’t feature Williams at her absolute best: She could barely hit backhands after spraining her left thumb and hurting her left calf in the previous round. Because of the thumb, Williams withdrew from every event she was scheduled to play in the 1 1/2 months between Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

She arrived at Flushing Meadows full of confidence, as usual, and said she didn’t need tuneup tournaments to get ready. While Williams’ thumb appeared fine, and there were no obvious injuries, her father said Sunday that she was dealing with other physical problems - and doing a “marvelous job of hiding it.”

Regardless, Tuesday’s match featured brilliant play by both past U.S. Open champions, from stinging serves to big groundstrokes to touch volleys. Henin was far better at the net, winning 11 of 14 points when she pressed forward, while Williams was only 5-for-14.

Mostly, though, the difference-maker was Henin’s ability to steer Williams this way and that along the baseline until the Belgian could find an opening for her smooth backhand or a well-placed forehand. Repeatedly, especially in the second set, Henin wrong-footed Williams to end a point.

The first set was much closer and of much higher quality. Henin broke in the opening game by ending a tight net exchange with a forehand volley, and she served for the opening set at 5-4.

But Williams buckled down to break back right there with a backhand return winner down the line and a loud, “Come on!” The tiebreaker began with a 23-stroke point in which Williams made two great defensive plays before swatting a backhand passing winner down the line.

“I really got nervous at that time,” Henin said, “and I knew every point was important.”

She showed it, delivering a 105 mph ace to go up 4-2, followed by a forehand winner she punctuated with a yell of “Allez!” Williams seemed deflated and dumped a forehand into the net to end the set.

“It’s kind of like she had no energy. No get-up-and-go,” said Williams’ mother and coach, Oracene Price. “Tennis is a head game, sometimes. Your head tells you to do something, but you can’t.”

Price rested a cheek on a hand, barely able to watch, as Henin took control right away in the second set, breaking for a 2-0 lead, and that was that, pretty much.

So on a night set aside to honor the 50th anniversary of the first U.S National Championship title for a black tennis player, the Williams sisters figured the best way to celebrate Gibson was to win.

Venus Williams beat Kira Nagy of Hungary 6-2, 6-1 in the first round of the U.S. Open on Monday and hit a Grand Slam-record 129 mph serve in the process. Serena Williams topped out at 126 mph and had only slightly more trouble getting past Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-3, 7-5 before a tournament-record crowd of 23,737.

“I have all the opportunities today because of people like Althea,” Venus Williams said. “Just trying to follow in her footsteps.”

The siblings narrated a video that opened the tribute to Gibson, who was the first black man or woman to enter (in 1950) and to win (in 1957) Wimbledon and the tournament that’s now called the U.S. Open.

In 1999, Serena Williams became the first black woman since Gibson to win the U.S. Open. The next year, Venus Williams became the first black woman since Gibson to win Wimbledon.

“I know every time I step out on the court, I play for me and I play for all the other little African-American kids out there who have a dream and who might not have the means, like myself and my sisters didn’t growing up,” Serena Williams said.

“It’s important to have nights like this,” she added, “so you can teach young people.”

Aretha Franklin sang, actress Phylicia Rashad emceed, and Rachel Robinson baseball barrier-breaker Jackie Robinson’s widow was in the audience Monday as the late Gibson was inducted into the U.S. Open Court of Champions.

“It was definitely a tough act to follow. ... It was really moving,” said Venus Williams, limited by wrist and knee problems to only one tournament since winning Wimbledon in early July.

“It’s like, ‘OK. Williams can’t lose tonight. That’s not part of the plan. It’s supposed to be an all-American win tonight.’ I was definitely thinking that.”

She built a 24-6 edge in winners and never was threatened. Serena Williams, playing for the first time since hurting her left thumb at Wimbledon, scattered 26 unforced errors and got broken the first time she served for the match.

She also had a bit of a wardrobe malfunction, ripping off a pink bow from the front of her black dress while seated in a sideline chair. Venus Williams, meanwhile, showed off her new low-priced clothing line with a green pleated halter dress.

It actually was a pretty good day for Americans, including Ahsha Rolle, a 22-year-old playing in her third Grand Slam match. She surprised No. 17-seeded Tatiana Golovin of France 6-4, 1-6, 6-2, also under the lights.

“I was watching a little bit of the (Gibson) tribute. I thought that of all the nights, I’ve got to do it tonight,” Rolle said. “I wasn’t scared, I wasn’t nervous. I was ready to bring it.”